Fear Draws Her Near
by Bloodtoast
Summary: When Max tries to get back at Derek, he ends up causing our two favorite characters to think he's a burglar. The things he witnesses gets him thinking, and he learns a thing or two about true love. Max's POV. Intended humor. Dasey. Oneshot.


**Fear Draws Her Near**

_**A/N: **__Okay, so I actually did watch a Lizzie McGuire episode – I know I'm shocked too— and I saw the episode where her and her brother "bonded" because they thought a burglar was trying to break in? So, really, it's the same concept, with a Dasey twist._

_It's just a small one-shot that's hardly worth publishing. Not Casey or Derek's POV. _

_Something to keep in mind – I'm a Max-hater, so he may seem a little OOC, but this is how I see his mind working._

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I knew I would be in trouble when I heard screaming coming from inside the house, mainly signalling Casey was in a bad mood. Honestly, I only meant to payback Derek for all the crap he put the football team through. I just wanted to prank Derek, but when I heard them arguing inside… I couldn't help myself from eavesdropping. Casey always talked about how annoying Derek was, and how he always fought with her. I had never actually witnessed any of the "bad" bantering she claimed they had, so I wanted to find out if they were as "bad" as she claimed them to be.

When I leaned against the back door, I knocked my arm against the doorknob. I should've just stayed there when they opened the door to see who it was, but I got scared and ran off to the side of the house. Well, you know how Casey can be. She makes the littlest things turn into something huge, and before you know it I would've been single before midnight. Not good, especially with "prom" coming up.

So I hid, and in a flash their bantering had switched off. How could they do that? One moment they're all flames, and the next they're practically all over each other. That's another thing that makes me mad. She never stands next to me like that. How can she claim to hate Venturi when every time I catch them standing together, they're millimetres apart! The first time I saw her in school, I actually thought they were dating! Until one of my bros pointed out the "hot new girl" was actually Venturi's stepsister. Wow, right?

"Is anyone out there?" Casey's voice had asked.

"Casey, put down the lamp. No one's there," Derek's voice had replied.

"How do you know? It could be some psychopathic killer who's hiding and listening in on our conversation. Oh God, Mom and George shouldn't have left to Vancouver—."

"Casey," Derek's voice stopped her abruptly. Funny, I could never quite stop her ranting with one word. How could he do that?

"Derek… just, close the door, and… and…" Her voice was already calmed. By this point I was getting jealous. I mean, dude! How can he do these things to her that I can't? _I'm _her boyfriend! _He's _her stepbrother! What the hell?

"Casey, are you scared?" Derek had asked.

"No, why?" Her voice was in slight hysteria (oh, big word! I learned that one from Casey.) 

"Because you're clinging to my arm, and, once more, I must bring up this little object called 'nail clippers'." Clinging to his arm? Oh, I was seconds away from barging out, but something was telling me to stay put. Something in my gut, or maybe it was that greasy burger and fries I chugged down with pop as a dare at lunch.

The door shut, and I could hear their raised voices. Arguing again? Really, there conversations are like rollercoaster rides. Zoom – up high, all sweet and kind – then zoom, down low and they're all angry. And on rollercoaster rides, the highs only last so long before you're stomachs telling you it's about to barf up the corn dog you just had.

I was so relieved, but I was still curious, so, like the idiot I am I clambered on over to the door and leaned against it. I had put my hand on the doorknob to keep it from jingling again, but this time – and boy, will you get a laugh out of this – I accidentally _opened _the door. In my hurry to run out of their view, I missed what they said. But, once more, they were back to being pressed against each other.

_Man, _I remember thinking, _if Casey catches me I'll be in a load of trouble. She'll probably make me go shopping with her! Oh, God no._

So I ran on over to the side of the house again and held my breath. This time, I heard footsteps on the back porch. Oh shit, I was going to get it.

"Derek, wait, don't go out there," Casey had pleaded. Derek's footsteps had abruptly ended, and I knew Casey had grabbed him and held him fast. Even her voice gave away that she was fearful for his life. It was the kind of things that belong in chick flicks.

"Casey," Derek's voice was full of amusement this time, "I'm a hockey player, remember? I think I can handle things here. I'll beat the guy up if he tries anything."

"Maybe _you _think that, but _I _don't. I… I don't want to see you get hurt." Hmm… this situation kind of reminded me of when she stuck up for him. Hey—she even ditched me at lunchtime to go find Venturi. And that was after she wasted half my sandwich. What the hell is that? That really made me angry. I mean, my sandwich was delicious and she goes, dumps the _delicious _contents out on the table, than storms away after taking a bite, leaving its body all mangled. What a murderer! I even contemplated burying its remains in my backyard, but I ended up eating it. But… that stays between us. No way in hell would Casey kiss me again if she finds out I ate something off the table.

Anyways, back to the story…

"Casey, I'll be fine." Derek's voice was annoyed, even I could tell that.

"Than I'm coming with you." No, no… oh shit. It'll be bad if Venturi catches me, because maybe, _maybe _I could convince him not to tell Casey, but if she found me… God, I'd rather be dead.

Derek made a complaining grunt, but he said nothing farther. Maybe he actually enjoyed the way his stepsister clung to him. Or maybe he was actually scared. Who knows? All I know is that I got the hell out of there, but not quick enough, just far enough so when they actually saw me, I was halfway to squatting down beside a bush, in the shadows of the house.

Casey and Derek ran back inside the house, and I noticed they're _hands were entwined. _I repeat: _Their hands were entwined. _As in, they were holding hands! Did they notice? Did they care? It blew my mind when I saw it, but then again… it could've been the lack of light playing with me. – By the way, Casey taught me the word "entwined." She's too smart for her own good.

Anywho, my thoughts were interrupted when Casey yelped out, "Derek, I don't care what you say, I'm calling the police!" He may have protested, but boy, if I let this little "harmless" prank carry on, I would only end up paying a fee. Time to fess up before Casey let this drone on any longer. ("Drone" courtesy from Casey's mouth. Yep, another word I learned from her.)

So I walked up to the doorway like I was a man ready for execution. You know, like a death sentence. If I rang the doorbell… would they answer? God, I was so confused at that moment, it was not funny.

I did manage to catch their conversation, though. If you had been there, you would've freaked, too, and would've done what I did.

Derek was the one who spoke first. Their voices were close to the front door, so I knew they were in their living room.

"Casey, don't call the cops, you'll start a scene."

"I don't care!" She replied. I heard the first two phone-beeps of "911", but there was the sound of rustling, and Casey squealed out a moment later.

"Stop, Derek!" Oh, so they were fighting. No, no, not fighting… they were wrestling. Casey told me they didn't do that anymore! But from what I could hear – hear as in their grunts and gasps from the wrestle – and from what I could see through the glass of the door, they were wrestling for the phone. Good, it bought me some time. But bad, because no way in hell would I let my girlfriend physically wrestle with another guy. I mean, we haven't even gotten _that _far! All I ever get is a pity little peck on the lips, and Derek gets to crop a feel whenever they're in a "heated argument"? Nuh-uh, not going to work for me. 

I reached the door handle and tugged. Wow, it was actually open, do you believe that? How careless could they be?

As soon as it swung open, Casey started screaming. Their wrestle match was over, that much I could tell. When I finally stepped into the house and saw what I did… I was a little more then jealous at that point.

The way Casey's hands clung to Derek's sweater near the shoulders, pulling his body roughly against hers, and the way his hands protectively swung around her middle… even though I knew they were step sibs, and even though I knew they'd never hook-up, the first thing I remember thinking was that she looked a hell of a lot more cozy in his arms that she ever did look in mine… during the few moments we actually embraced. And I – being a good guy and all – wondered if our rolls, I mean, Derek Venturi and me, should be reversed. Maybe Casey would be better off with a boyfriend like Derek, and me being her stepbrother.

Well… now that I think about it, maybe them being steps helped them become like 'this'. They see each other after I kiss Casey goodnight. They have 24 hour access to each other (Really, how do Nora and George trust their about sixteen-year old children of opposite genders not to have little 'midnight rendezvous, if you know what I mean?) If I had a gorgeous stepsister… man… I'd go nuts. How does Derek handle it? Especially with her crawling all over him like that? I have to give him props for that one day.

Anyway… As soon as they realized how they had ended up – ended up as in each other's arms, and yes, I say 'realized' because that means they unconsciously wrapped themselves around each other – they pushed each other away. I think I had this goofy look on my face, like, "why are you two resisting?"

Casey ended up giving me a huge lecture, and I had to explain myself. Venturi had a few good laughs over my pitiful attempts at revenge, and afterward Casey reminded me of the huge shopping trip I'd have to endure to make up for her "scares".

So, Diary, I tell you this now because I know I've got a lot more competition up my sleeve. Derek Venturi. It's not illegal, I know this because it's not incest – "blood relatives" equals incest, and since Casey and Derek weren't born of the same flesh and blood, it's not incest, duh, so thus means that Derek is potential competition, and though I should hate him for this, I don't. It's weird.

Want to know something, Diary? _I _feel like _I'm _the intruder in _their _relationship, not the other way around. Am I interfering with fate, Diary? Or was Nora and George's marriage interference with fate? Or was their marriage fate itself for Derek and Casey? I don't know, as much as I want to loathe them as a couple, as a pairing, they do seem to complete another. It seems like Derek's faults are Casey's good qualities, and vice versa, like they complete each other. Like they're one.

Hey, which reminds me of this thing my mom told me about. So, there's this lady, Sylvia Brown, and she's supposedly "physic", even though I don't believe in that sort of stuff. Anyways, so Sylvia Brown says that true soul mates actually started out as one being, then were split half as two different beings, which equals them "completing" each other, and stuff like that.

Huh, gets you thinking, doesn't it, Diary? I don't know, for some reason I keep thinking that in the end the only true love I'll have is you. I love you, Diary.

_Love, Max._

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**Author's Notes**

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**So, what'd ya'll think? Please refrain from throwing rotten veggies and fruit until all readers have safely evacuated the vicinity of the area.**

**I KNOW Max was way out of character. I just couldn't resist making him a huge, Diary-writing idiot in the end. I was inspired, for the very last paragraph, from the "Emo Kid" song. If you haven't heard it, you must. It's hilarious. I was tempted to add in the end, "P.S. I feel like tacos," But, -wags finger at self- that'd be plagiarism, right? Hope you got some semi-enjoyment out of this, even though I only half like it.**

**By the way, if you didn't get when this takes place, it takes place shortly after Bully Brothers – one of my favourite episodes. Now I'm going to go heart-fart over Dasey some more while you review… riiiiight? Just click that purple button down below and type up a short message.**


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